My ex dh used to wear foundation. You'd never know he did, he was a manager for Boots and loved all the discounts ! He never used to take it off properly though and it used to drive me mad all over the pillows etc.

I think anyone should wear make up if they want to but no one should feel pressurised too. Loads of men use concealer etc etc for spots!

I know some men use makeup, and of course dancers and actors do. I was just wondering if people felt men's appearance was improved by it. Everyone seems to think that women's skin, for instance, doesn't usually look as good without it, but to me women often look kind of fake with makeup on.

It's definitely an interesting question, and I say this as someone who wears make-up daily.

You often read/hear women saying they look like 'the living dead', 'would scare small children' (clearly meant to be self-deprecating, but there's a grain of truth in that it's an exaggerated description of what they think) without make-up. But we never think men look so awful without it, or need it to look passable.

I am well aware that lots of people like to look like they have created their own faces. Obviously they choose "art" over "nature": I used the shorthand of "fake" to describe how they look to me (that's why I said "TO ME women often look kind of fake").

To you, I would probably look like a frumpy old bag, "the living dead", etc.

Mitzy you are on the winning side here. I hardly know anyone who doesn't use makeup, and the overwhelming majority of people on MN prefer how they (and everyone else) look with makeup.

My DP sometimes borrows my make up and he does actually look a bit better with it - lovely smooth skin

I think if women were never to wear make-up no-one would really notice, but I do think that in general, there are more good looking women than there are men. That may be because women make themselves look better through applying make-up / doing their hair etc?

There's a number of things to consider here. Yes, men would (and do) look better with make up: smoother skin, cover blemishes, emphasise eyes other features, etc. Why do actors wear make up? In the theatre partly to make features visible, but on film partly to make them more attractive.

But there's the cultural issue of what is "manly" and whether wearing make-up fits in to that. There hasn't been any poster along to say "Urgh, can't stand a man in make up", but I have heard it said.

FWIW, my DH used to wear eye-liner and mascara when I met him. I liked it. It was a long time ago; it was quite common at the time. I don't see it being so common these days.